Jazz Around the World 2 – 1 May – New York, United States

 

Welcome back to the United States. Unfortunately, here ends the Jazz Around the World 2 tour. Thank you for joining us on this unique journey. I hope you enjoyed the music as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.

 

If your flight does not leave right away, we have one more performance for you.

 

We are fortunate to have Snarky Puppy welcome you back to the U.S. The three-time GRAMMY® award-winning collective, known to insiders as ‘the Fam’, was started by bassist Michael League in Denton, Texas in 2003. Most of the group’s members were students at the University of North Texas. ‘The Fam’ is now Brooklyn-based and is comprised of about 40 members who rotate in and out as schedules permit. A few of the members are also producers for major artists. Others have their own bands. Some have even won GRAMMYs for their work outside the Snarky Puppy collective.

 

Snarky Puppy paid dues for around 10 years, touring and recording, but the recognition they deserved continued to elude them. Then, almost overnight, the public and press ‘found’ them. They have since performed with artists as varied as Kirk Franklin, Roy Hargrove, Marcus Miller, Justin Timberlake, Erykah Badu, and David Crosby. The group is now known and respected worldwide, selling out shows far in advance. You will soon see why.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Snarky Puppy:

 

 

 

Lingus

 

 

 

 

Binky

 

 

 

 

Featuring Lalah Hathaway – Live DVD/CD Family Dinner – Volume One – “Something”

 

 

 

 

Xavi

 

 

 

 

 

Live at Festival Django Reinhardt 2018 – “Grown Folks”

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you again for joining us for Jazz Around the World 2. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today!

Jazz Around the World 2 – 30 April – Puerto Rico

 

Welcome to the island of Puerto Rico. Today we’ll be joining GRAMMY® award-winning saxophonist David Sánchez. Interestingly, Sánchez began his musical career as a drummer/percussionist at the young age of 8. As a young teen he took up the tenor saxophone, then soprano sax, clarinet, and flute. His influences are many and include Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, the great sax players such as Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and others. His prowess on and mastery of the tenor sax led to an association with Dizzy Gillespie, with whom he toured and recorded before Gillespie’s death. He is also a member of the much-lauded SFJAZZ Collective.

 

Listening to Sánchez’ music, you will hear not only Jazz, but the rhythms of his native Puerto Rico, and Latin Jazz, Caribbean, European, Pan-African, and Classical influences. He has taught at several conservatories and universities in Puerto Rico, Brazil, and in the United States. Regarding his students, according to a quote on his website, he says, “It gives me such a tremendous joy seeing so much talent out there. It’s a true honor…I am very optimistic and I look ahead to the future of music.”

 

Let’s welcome now, David Sánchez:

 

 

Nengueleru

 

 

 

City Sunrise

 

 

 

Soñando con Puerto Rico

 

 

 

Cara de Payaso

 

 

 

Lamento Boricano

 

 

 

SFJAZZ Collective – Live – Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Puerto Rico. I hope you enjoyed the concert and the Jazz Around the World 2 tour. We fly back to the States in the morning. If you have time, we may be able to feature one more artist when we arrive in New York.

 

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 29 April – St. Thomas

 

Welcome to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Today we visit with drummer and educator Dion Parson. Believe it or not, Parson actually started out as a trombone player, but at age 15 he switched to drums.

 

The road to the international stage took Parson to the United States where he studied percussion, subsequently earning his degree in music education. It didn’t take long for him to make a name for himself as he played with a plethora of greats on the Jazz scene. Parson has recorded on a number of major labels. When he’s not performing, he can often be found teaching classes, instructing youth, and conducting workshops in the US, and especially back home in the US Virgin Islands.

 

Let’s bring up Mr. Dion Parson, along with the 21^st Century Band:

 

 

Live – “Down De Road”

 

 

 

 

Three Little Birds

 

 

 

 

Live at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola – “Calypso Bayou”

 

 

 

 

Live at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola – “St. Thomas”

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in St. Thomas. I hope you enjoyed the concert. We’ll meet at the Port of the Internet for a short Caribbean cruise. Next stop on or Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Puerto Rico.

 

 

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 28 April – Barbados

 

Welcome to Barbados. I hope you took some time to enjoy the sights – and cuisine – of this wonderful island. Now it is time to introduce you to some Bajan Jazz.

 

We’ll start off with saxophonist Mylon Clarke. Hailing from Bridgetown, Clarke is a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music. We may even get a sneak peak at one of his auditions.

 

Mylon, if you please:

 

 

Berklee Summer Audition – “Billie’s Bounce”

 

 

 

Live – Barbados 50 Years of Independence concert – Bajan Medley

 

 

 

 

Up next, we have vocalist Kellie Cadogan. Ms. Cadogan has performed with some of finest Caribbean musicians and at festivals around the world. Her music is an inspiration to many.

 

Let’s visit with Kellie now:

 

 

God Bless the Child

 

 

 

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

 

 

 

Believe

 

 

 

 

For our finale, we have saxophonist Arturo Tappin. Tappin made his debut as a leader towards the end of 1980’s, and along the way developed an impressive resume as long as his locks. Tappin has rightly earned the title of legend. He has even played for two US presidents.

 

Coming to the stage, with an array of saxes and flutes, none other than Arturo Tappin:

 

 

Blue Reggae

 

 

 

Red Light

 

 

 

It Always Gets Better

 

 

 

Live at Jazz Artists on the Greens – (No title provided)

 

 

 

I think we should have Arturo do an encore. Here he joins Marcus Miller and Etienne Charles in an all-star tribute to the great Ralph McDonald. This performance was from the Jazz at D Hill event at Holy Cross College. (Clip runs about 20 minutes.)

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Barbados. I hope you enjoyed the performers we had for you today. We’ll meet at the Port of the Internet for cruise through the Caribbean. Next stop on our Jazz Around the World 2 tour: US Virgin Islands.

 

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 27 April – Trinidad

 

Welcome to the island of Trinidad. Today we’ll be checking in with trumpeter Etienne Charles. The resumé of the multi-talented Charles also includes the titles of composer and arranger. When he is not out performing, he is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University. In the words of Jamaican keyboardist Monty Alexander, Charles is “[a]n amazing trumpet player, and steel drum player, and cuatro player…a young Trinidadian who has held on to his heritage.”

 

Let’s enjoy the music of Etienne Charles:

 

 

Creole

 

 

 

 

Kitch’s Bebop of Calypso

 

 

 

Embraceable You

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Live at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola – “Santimanite”

 

 

 

Live at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola – Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low”

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Trinidad. I hope you enjoyed the concert. We’ll meet at the Port of the Internet for a Caribbean cruise. Next stop on our Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Barbados.

 

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 26 April – Curaçao

 

Welcome to the island of Curaçao. The island may be small, but the amount of music created and hosted here is anything but. Three performers are on our itinerary today. All three have played and recorded together. If we are lucky, they may all perform together tonight.

 

Leading off our concert is bassist, arranger, composer, and educator, Eric Calmes. Unfortunately, there is not much information available about Mr. Calmes, so we will let him introduce himself through his music.

 

Please welcome, Eric Calmes:

 

 

 

With the Chôro Combinado – Live at Sala Cecilia Mereilles – “O Vôo Da Mosca”

 

 

 

 

With Grupo Zamanakitoki – Live at the Bimhuis – “Kaya Grande”

 

 

 

 

With the Chôro Combinado – Live at Sala Cecilia Mereilles – “Papeando”

 

 

 

 

With Grupo Zamanakitoki – Live at the Bimhuis – “The King is Happy”

 

 

 

 

Up next is pianist/composer Randal Corsen. Corsen studied piano at the Brabant Conservatory in the Netherlands where he graduated cum laude. He can be heard performing Jazz and classical music with equal ease. His first album, Evolushon, won an Edison Music Award. On his Jazz recordings, you’ll hear classical, Latin, Caribbean, and Antillean elements. Corsen has written an opera and currently teaches in Amsterdam.

 

Coming to the stage now, Randal Corsen:

 

 

 

The Randal Corsen Trio – “M’a Yega Lat”

 

 

 

 

Mi Djégédjégé

 

 

 

 

No Bai

 

 

 

 

Randal Corsen Group featuring Roy Hargrove – Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival – (No title provided)

 

 

 

 

 

With Symbiosis – “Prove It!”

 

 

 

 

Randall Corsen Orchestra – “Henter Aña Den Paranda”

 

 

 

Closing out our concert tonight is singer/songwriter/composer/lyricist Izaline Calister . Like most people from Curaçao, Calister attended college in The Netherlands. She continues to make her home there, returning often to her homeland to perform, record, and visit. Calister’s music fuses Afro-Caribbean, Latin, and Calypso influences, combined with Jazz, while incorporating instruments and dances of Curaçao. What makes her unique is that she sings in her native language of Papiamentu, a language only about 330,000 people speak. Izaline has made it her mission to be an ambassador of the language of Papiamentu.

 

Calister was surprised last year when she was knighted by the mayor of Groningen, Netherlands, receiving the title of “Knight in the Order of Oranje-Nassau”. The honor was bestowed upon her, according the notes on her website, “because of her achievements as a singer, composer, and lyricist; being an ambassador for the language of Papiamentu and the Antillean culture; crossing the borders between and bridging the peoples of the different countries of the kingdom of The Netherlands, and for her charity activities.”

 

On a personal note, it was the result of hearing Calister’s music that I decided to learn the language of Papiamentu.

 

It is an honor to introduce to you, Ms Izaline Calister:

 

 

 

Soño Di Tur Muhé

 

 

 

 

Ora Friu Kuminsa

 

 

 

 

Live at T Paard, The Hague –  “Gracias a La Vida”

 

 

 

 

Aniversario

 

 

 

 

 

 

Live from Lloyd – “La La La”

 

 

 

 

With the Randel Corsen Big Band – Live at 100^th Anniversary of MCB – Oswin ‘Chin’ Behilia Medley (Sunu, No Bai, Chuchubi, Plegaria)

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Curaçao. I hope you enjoyed the concert. We’ll meet at the Port of the Internet for our Caribbean cruise. Next stop on our Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Trinidad.

 

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 25 April – Senegal

 

Welcome to Senegal. We have a full day today with many performances. On tap are Cheikh Lô, the Kora Jazz Trio, and Youssou N’Dour.

 

First up is vocalist, guitarist, and drummer Cheikh Lô. Lô absorbed many of the influences that were popular in West and Central Africa during the late 70’s and throughout the 80’s, eventually doing session work in Paris. Mixing all of this together, he developed his own sound, which led to his release of several albums. Ladies and gentlemen, Cheik Lô:

 

Doxandeme

 

 

 

Né la Thiass

 

 

 

Lu Tax

 

 

 

Live at the Afro-Pfingsten Festival (No title)

 

 

 

 

Next up is the Kora Jazz Trio. Their website provides the best introduction: “[M]ostly dialog between the kora and the piano, two instruments so close – both rhythmic and soloist – but separated by an ocean. Two cousins that were separated too early, each on a continent: the kora in the streets of West Africa, the piano in the dark clubs of Western cities. Today they meet again and have many things to tell us…”

 

The Kora Jazz Trio:

 

 

Senef

 

 

 

Chan Chan

 

 

 

Ewagne

 

 

 

All Blues – (Featuring guest Manu Dibango on marimba)

 

 

 

 

Our concert today ends with perhaps the most famous singer in Senegal, and one of the most famous singers throughout all of Africa, Youssou N’Dour. N’Dour wears many hats. In addition to being a world-renown and in-demand musician and one of the developers of the popular Senegalese style of music called mbalax, he is a businessman, composer, actor, songwriter, and politician. For a 17-month period between 2012 and 2013, N’Dour served as Senegal’s Minister of Tourism, later appointed as Special Adviser to the President where his job was to promote Senegal to the world.

 

Please welcome, Mr. Youssou N’Dour:

 

Miss

 

 

 

 

Without a Smile (Same)

 

 

 

Lees Waxul

 

 

 

Live – Return to Goree Concert – “Red Clay”

 

 

 

Live – Human Rights Now concert at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina – “N’Dobine/Deugue (The Truth)” (Deugue featuring Branford Marsalis)

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Senegal. I hope you enjoyed the concert. We’ll meet at the Internet Airport for our flight across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Next stop on our Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Curaçao.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 24 April – Mali

 

Welcome to Mali. In the world of Jazz, Mali has produced many musicians that have gone on to tour the world. Today we’ll visit with a couple of these groups that will take us back to the earlier days of Jazz in Mali.

 

Starting us off will be The Rail Band. Known at times as Super Rail Band, Super Rail Band of the Buffet Hotel de la Gare, Bamako, and Bamake Rail Band, the group was formed during the period when Malian government-sponsored cultural events and groups where created during the 1960’s. The group started out playing Cuban-style Latin Jazz, which was popular two decades earlier, and remains popular to this day. Interesting to note that the Cuban Latin Jazz style the Rail Band played came from The Congo. To this, the band added their own style using electric instruments, horns, and a drum kit.

 

On stage now, The Rail Band:

 

 

Kaïra

 

 

 

Mali Yo

 

 

 

Mansa

 

 

 

With Djelimady Toukara – “Marigoundo”

 

 

 

 

Up next is the group Super Biton de Ségou. The group’s beginnings date back to the 1970’s. In one form or another, through hard times and through various members, the orchestra soldiers on still today. They have a 200-song repertoire, and at the height of their popularity, earned the title of Mali’s first ‘national’ orchestra. From the town of Ségou, let’s welcome, Super Biton de Ségou:

 

 

Dongari

 

 

 

Tere

 

 

 

Chie

 

 

 

Recoma

 

 

 

Niénema Miné

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Mali. I hope you enjoyed the concert. We’ll meet at the Internet Train Station for our train ride. Next stop on our Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Senegal.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 23 April – Benin

 

Welcome to Benin. Located in the heart of West Africa where many internationally acclaimed musicians hail from, the country of Benin has certainly contributed to this list. We’ll be hanging out with two of them today. If we’re lucky, we may be able to get them to share the stage later.

 

Leading off our concert is guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke. Loueke started out playing percussion at the age of 9. In his teens he switched over to guitar. His dedication to the instrument is apparent when you hear the story of how long it took to save for his first guitar, and how he had to use bicycle brake cables when the original guitar strings broke. He studied Jazz in Paris, won a scholarship to Berklee College in Boston, and was selected by a panel of judges that included Herbie Hancock, Terrence Blanchard, and Wayne Shorter, to attend the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz at UCLA. Loueke went on to perform with each of the panelists that selected him, and a worldwide roster of A-list musicians.

 

Please welcome Mister Lionel Loueke:

 

 

 

Tribal Dance

 

 

 

 

Blue Note at 75 celebration at The Kennedy Center – “Nonvignon”

 

 

 

 

Solo break during performance with the Herbie Hancock Band

 

 

 

 

With his group Gilfema – “Tin Man”

 

 

 

 

Live at Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz – With Chris Potter, Dave Holland, and Eric Harland – (No title)

 

 

 

 

 

To close out our stay in Benin is singer/songwriter Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, a lady who really needs no introduction. Her accomplishments speak for themselves. She truly represents the global appeal of Jazz, and the spirit of this Jazz Around the World tour.

 

It is a true honor to welcome to the stage, Ms. Angélique Kidjo:

 

 

Kelele

 

 

 

 

Idjé Idjé

 

 

 

 

Summertime

 

 

 

 

With Roy Hargrove – “Samba Pa Ti”

 

 

 

 

Macumba Salsa

 

 

 

 

 

For her final number, Ms Kidjo will be joined by countryman Lionel Loueke, plus Christian McBride, George Duke, and Vinnie Colaiuta.

 

 

Live at International Jazz Day Inaugural Sunset Concert at the United Nations – “Afrika”

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Benin. I hope you enjoyed the performances. We’ll meet at the Internet Train Station for our train ride. Next stop on or Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Mali.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.

Jazz Around the World 2 – 22 April – Uganda

 

Welcome to the Uganda. Jazz was not always a popular style of music in Uganda. Fortunately, that has changed. And, fortunately, we’ll be treated to a performance by one of the musicians who is widely credited with making Jazz more widely accepted in the country.

 

Starting off our evening is guitarist Myko Ouma. Ouma has made quite a name for himself in and around Kampala. He studied Western music in college and has merged what he has learned with traditional Ugandan music and instrumentation. As a result, you’ll find him playing several different styles on many different instruments.

 

Let’s bring to the stage, Myko Ouma:

 

 

 

Live at Kampala Serena Hotel – “Aluru”

 

 

 

 

Live at Kigali Jazz Junction – With Herbert Rock on saxophone – No Title

 

 

 

 

Live at Kigali Jazz Junction – “Aye”

 

 

 

 

 

And now, coming to the stage is the man credited with making Jazz a more prominent art form in Uganda’s music scene, saxophonist Isaiah Katumwa. Katumwa is a self-taught player. The story goes he was given a saxophone as a teen, an instrument that he had never even seen before. Add to that the fact that there was no school for music or even a music store anywhere near his home. But he did not let those barriers stop him.

 

Over his two-decade-long career, he has performed with such world-renown artists as Jonathan Butler, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Manu Dibango, Erika Badu, in addition to other musicians across Africa, Europe, and the throughout the world. Katumwa continues to spread the word of Jazz across Uganda and abroad through his radio and television shows.

 

Without further ado, please welcome, Isaiah Katumwa:

 

 

 

Live featuring Hugh Masekela – “Sunrise”

 

 

 

Obasinga

 

 

 

 

Ametenda Maajabu

 

 

 

Live featuring James Gogo – “Kilele”

 

 

 

Live – “Pamoja”

 

 

 

 

Thank you for joining us here in Uganda. I hope you enjoyed the concert. Rest up. We have a long flight ahead. Next stop on our Jazz Around the World 2 tour: Benin.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Support the artists. Buy their music. Go out and see some live Jazz today.